No Golf Balls Required

Ever walk through a big box DIY retailer, get to the toilet section, and just have to stop and ask, “Why?”

Every professional renovation team has a little black book of excellent plumbers and electricians. We asked one of our top plumbers, Terry Massey of Massey Plumbing, to give us the straight flush on toilets.

We wrote about quality materials previously here, the same is true for your plumbing fixtures. Your licensed plumber, like Terry, is going to have access to things that just aren’t available to the public from better materials to repair information and parts. Go to any plumbing fixture site, including the golf ball champs, American Standard:

There is a separate site for professionals.

Sometimes this means you can see the products and parts, but can’t buy them without a commercial license, sometimes it means you can’t even access the information. Plumbers know all the toilet fail points AND the parts wait time.

Why are we telling you all of this? Because Terry has already done the work and has decades of experience replacing those Big Box toilets. Not only that, but Terry knows which toilets break most often, why, and if you can even repair them. So on to the best seat in the house!

Terry’s Favorite Toilet

Toto Entrada & Toto Entrada Elongated

Terry breaks down the highlights:

• It flushes well
• Normal flush
• Slim toilet
• Comfort height
• ADA approved
• Comes in both round and elongated
• 1.28gal flushes
• Been using this toilet for over a decade
• Extremely reliable
• Competitive price point

Terry says most of the toilets Massey Plumbing installs are Elongated Toto Entradas.

Terry’s 2nd Place

Toto Drake

The Drake is an upgrade starting at about a $100 increase from the Entrada.

• Has a better flushing system, cyclone flush
• You get a better bowl wash with the cyclone flush; keeps the bowl much cleaner.

Runners Up Notes:

• American Standard makes some good toilets – check with your plumber.
• Some Kohler toilets have a flush tower – check with your plumber.
• Older American Standard Champion toilets have flush towers (Terry likes Towers.)

Bowls to Avoid

We’ve all seen the toilets with a special blue dot you’re supposed to hit in the middle of the big chrome button, or lift up for 1 and down for 2… And when you want to just wash your hands and get back to your day, do you really pay that much attention? Now imagine having to replace that mechanism… Seriously. This is the toilet breakaway photo:

Which brings us toooooo….that’s right!

Terry’s Avoid List!

Dual flushes

• The dual flush mechanisms are proprietary & difficult to find replacement parts for when they inevitably fail.
• Generally less reliable.
• The quality of the flush is not improved with the dual flush.
• The money you’d save on water using a dual flush is negligible (even before considering replacement parts/toilet.)

Turbo flushes

• Turbo flushes are extremely noisy and when they quit working, they become irreparable duds
• The flush is powerful, but the need for this really depends on the person.
• Not very aesthetically pleasing because the tank is very large

Terry also suggests being careful when considering Kohler and Champion. “Their toilets are clunky and the seal wears out rather quickly.”

There’s the Toilet Run Down! As always, check with your plumber, or better yet, book Terry Massey Plumbing if you are in the Milwaukie/Portland metro area.